I’ve held my tongue on the recent controversy caused by the Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church in Pike County, Kentucky, when they voted not to accept interracial couples as members or allow them to participate in most worship services (funerals being the exception). I should say that the denomination has criticized the local church’s decision and by now they have to some degree reversed the action, however what’s done is done. While it saddens me, I must say I am not really surprised to see that racism has once again reared its ugly head in both America and in (at least some) American churches. Unfortunately, I think this embarrasment gives many people a sour taste of all churches. And as bad as this decision and the ongoing publicity has been for the church, I just read of an even greater problem in this particular congregation. This church’s administrative board decided the entire church should vote on the matter, so at a meeting of the entire church membership, the vote was nine for and six against the proposal. However, in attendance at this meeting were nearly forty members…that means upwards of twenty-five members lacked the fortitude to vote at all! Now, I wasn’t there…I don’t know the debate (if any) that took place…I don’t know if tempers flared…I don’t know what politics were at work. But I do know that by not voting, these twenty-five did indeed vote. They voted to allow a minority to hijack their church and make a mockery of all churches in America. Jesus was right…the world can tell who His disciples are (John 13:35)…and are not!
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